View full sizeSandy Fenton Cotswolds, predominantly a farming area, is a popular tourist destination.

I admit it.

I’m an Anglophile and I’m not alone.

There seems to be a gigantic love affair with Britain and everything British.

Between Kate and Will’s royal marriage, the PBS hit series “Downton Abbey,” Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, London’s Olympic games and the ongoing antics of Prince Harry, we just can’t get enough.

And although I enjoy all of that, it’s the English countryside that I absolutely love.

For many of us, the Cotswolds in the west-central part of the country defines what we imagine the English countryside to be.

The endless sheep-clad rolling hills where ancient castles, abbeys, towers and historic manor houses dot the scenery. The villages. The sleepy, thatched roof, gently-curving, honey-colored stone villages that seem more fairy tale than real life. Busy market towns, centuries-old pubs overflowing with laughter from the locals and picturesque tea rooms where tea and scones are not just a way of life, but a highly respected daily ritual.

My husband, Stewart, and I just returned from a trip to the Cotswolds, and I can’t stop thinking about it. It was — as they say — brilliant!

We flew to London’s Heathrow airport, quickly cleared customs and hopped onboard the super-efficient Heathrow Express to Paddington Station. There, we purchased tickets for the 90-minute train ride to Moreton-in-Marsh, a convenient Cotswold hub and well-known for antiquing and quality shops.

Our destination was Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire, which has gained the enviable reputation as the Cotswolds’ hidden gem.

My friend and colleague Paull Tickner recommended Chipping Campden (or “Campden” as the locals say) as an excellent home base for touring the Cotswolds. And because he is an award-winning specialty UK tour operator plus a travel writer for “Niche Britain,” “Britain Insider” and “Special Interest Britain” — and he also happens to live in Campden — who am I to argue? And, of course, he was right.

We checked into Kiftsgate Cottage at the Cotswold House Hotel (www.cots woldhouse.com), a beautiful Regency Grade II-listed townhouse surrounded by a lovely English garden, in the heart of the village, across from the Market Hall, circa 1627.

We spent our first two days walking and exploring this ancient market town. (A typical English market town has a population of up to 5,000 and dates back to medieval times when the town was legally allowed to let farmers from neighboring hamlets and villages sell and/or barter produce and livestock inside its market hall.)

There was so much to see and do in and around Campden, and, lucky for us, we had Tickner leading the way.

As you walk along High Street, it honestly looks as though time has stood still, especially taking in the architecture of the buildings. 

Within walking distance

 Some of the highlights easily explored by foot include:

Grevel House — The oldest house in Campden, built in 1367.

St. James Church — A landmark for miles and considered one of the finest churches in the Cotswolds. Both Chipping Campden and the church were built by wool wealth, and if you lift up the heavy wool carpeting by the altar, you will see that the great wool merchants’ tombstones pave the floor.

Old Silk Mill — Filled with talented and creative artisans, jewelers and craftsmen who still follow the ideals of the 1902 Arts and Crafts movement that took root in the Cotswolds.

The Almhouses — Built in 1612 to house six poor men and six poor women. To this day, it is still used by 12 retirees from Campden. 

Within driving distance

A short drive from Campden will take you to:

Kiftsgate Court Gardens — Since 1918, three generations of women gardeners have made Kiftsgate their family home and an award-winning garden estate. (www.kiftsgate.co.uk)

Hidcote Manor Garden — If you like gardens, you’ll love Hidcote. It’s considered one of England’s best and is an Arts and Crafts garden masterpiece operated by the National Trust. And to think it began in the early 1900s when an American mother, Gertrude Johnston, and her son, Lawrence, moved to Britain and purchased the Hidcote Manor Estate. (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hidcote)

The Pudding Club — Popular “meetings” are held weekly when seven traditional puddings are eaten to find the “Pudding of the Night” at the Three Ways House hotel in Mickleton. (www.puddingclub.com)

View full sizeSandy Fenton, left, and one of the owners of Sudeley Castle, Lady Ashcombe, are inside a private drawing room. The castle is in Chipping Campden, a small market town within the Cotswolds district of Gloucestershire, England.

Sudeley Castle — A glorious castle filled with national and private treasures boasting a thousand years of English history. Once home to Queen Katherine Parr, the last and surviving wife of King Henry VIII, and, since 1969, ancestral home to American-born Lady Ashcombe. My greatest surprise was our unexpected, fascinating and exclusive sit-down and tea with Lady Ashcombe in her private apartment within the massive castle. (www.sudeleycastle.co.uk) 

Enjoying the Cotswolds

Because Tickner is a British tourism expert, I asked him a few questions:

Q: What do most visitors to the Cotswolds want to experience?

A: During their stay, visitors want to discover something that makes England tick. The spectacular scenery, the villages, the castles, the walking paths — and a “quieter” way of life. Going to a market town pub, meeting and talking with the locals over a pint. Stopping for tea and just taking it all in.

Q: Is there an “official” Cotswold beverage or food that a visitor must try?

A: You must sample Gloucester cheese, “Old Spot” pork, local trout and Donnington Ales. Local produce is always excellent and enhanced by a game of skittles, with the proceedings to begin with a pint of real ale that’s been locally brewed.

Q: I know the Cotswolds offer many things to many people — gardens, history, scenic walks — how does one find out about tours that might be of specific interest to them?

A: Cotswolds accommodations (such as the lovely Cotswold House Hotel) and food quality is high, and the Cotswolds is a cast-iron world-standard attraction/destination along with Tuscany, the Hamptons or the south of France. It rarely disappoints, and holiday time is so precious. For a closer look, check out www.cotswolds.com.

GOING ON

Seabourn Cruises, one of the world’s most luxurious and top-of-the-line cruise companies, will be featured next Saturday on “Let’s Talk Travel With AAA.”

Doug Seagle, vice president of Seabourn, will be in the studio to tell us why travel experts and past guests love the gracious and oh-so-pampering onboard services that have made Seabourn a favorite small-cruise experience.

Catch Sandy Fenton’s show “Let’s Talk Travel With AAA” from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturdays on WHP-AM 580. For more information, go to www.whp580.com and click on the link to “Let’s Talk Travel.” 

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